Australian Open 2026: How to watch the Naomi Osaka vs. Antonia Ruzic first round match

Naomi Osaka will play Antonia Ruzic in the first round of the Australian Open today, here's how to watch.

Tennis - China Open - The Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center, Beijing, China - September 27, 2025 Japan's Naomi Osaka in action during her round of 64 match against Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Japan's Naomi Osaka will face Croatia's Antonia Ruzic tonight at the Australian Open, here's how to watch. (REUTERS/Tingshu Wang)
REUTERS / Reuters

Japan's Naomi Osaka is bringing her forehand, her stylish outfits and, hopefully, her Labubus, to the Australian Open this week when she enters the first round in a match against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic. The two women will meet in Rod Laver Arena for a match that begins bright and early, at approximately 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday, January 20. They'll take the court once the Jannik Sinner vs. Hugo Gaston men's match, which is scheduled for 3 a.m. ET, is completed.

Tournament coverage will air across ESPN and ESPN2. The entire tournament will be available to stream for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here's what you need to know about the 2026 Australian Open.

Date: Tuesday, January 20

Time (estimated): not before 5 a.m. ET 

Location: Rod Laver Arena

TV channel: ESPN2

Streaming: ESPN Unlimited

Naomi Osaka plays Antonia Ruzic in the first round at the Australian Open on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.

The first round match between Osaka and Ruzic is estimated to start around 5 a.m., following the Jannik Sinner vs. Hugo Gaston men's match, which is scheduled for 3 a.m. ET. 

In the U.S., the Australian Open will air on ESPN, with the entire tournament streaming on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select tournament coverage will also air on ESPN2, before moving to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.

If you want to catch every match of the Australian Open and don’t currently subscribe to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, in Australia a majority of the action will be streaming free with ads on 9Now.

Don't live in the land down under? Don't worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you’re looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.

All times Eastern

  • (Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.

  • (Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00 p.m.

  • (Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 8:00 p.m.

  • (Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 3:30 a.m.

  • (Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30 a.m.

  • (Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 a.m.

The top 10 seeded players for the singles draws are listed below.

Men’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026

1. Carlos Alcaraz

2. Jannik Sinner

3. Alexander Zverev

4. Novak Djokovic

5. Felix Auger-Aliassime

Women’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026

1. Aryna Sabalenka

2. Iga Swiatek

3. Amanda Anisimova

4. Coco Gauff

5. Elena Rybakina

For 2026, the men's and women's singles winners of the Australian Open each get $4,150,000, with the runner-up receiving $2,150,000 and Semi-finalists $1,250,000.

Category: General Sports